Agrico-Eurasia LLC is an importer and licensed producer of Dutch seed potatoes. All fields of the company are located in the Moscow region, in the Voskresensky and Shatursky districts. The total area in the crop rotation is 1800 ha, under potatoes - 320 ha. About 12 tons of potatoes per year are grown and sold here. Alexander Volodin, Commercial Director of Agrico Eurasia LLC, talks about the progress of the sowing season 000:
- There is such a joke: "You will never please the collective farmers: either it's too damp, or it's too hot, or it's too cold, or it's too warm." Every spring has certain nuances, it is difficult to get into ideal conditions when planting. We usually start planting potatoes between 5 and 10 May. Due to excessive waterlogging, we started planting only on May 15th. The start of landing was delayed by a week, now all dates are being shifted. Rainy weather is very annoying.
This year we do not reduce planting areas, there will be about 320 hectares under seed potatoes from mini-plants and the first field reproduction to the elite. We brought the source material from the Netherlands and started licensed production, starting from the original reproductions. We can say that they went into autonomous navigation.
State variety testing of a number of varieties of table potatoes, as well as those intended for processing into french fries and chips, continues. The GSI has an early ripe red-tuber variety Corazon and a mid-early white-tuber variety Spektra. The mid-season white-tuber variety Lugano was transferred to the State variety testing - it is distinguished by an elongated tuber shape and an optimal dry matter content - important characteristics that determine the possibility of using the variety in industrial processing for french fries and chips. Among other things, the production of the early-ripening white-tuber variety Madeline, which is already included in the State Register of the Russian Federation, is being resumed. It tolerates heat well, is resistant to viral infection, and produces beautiful medium-sized tubers. A distinctive feature of all these varieties is their attractive presentation, resistance to cultivation at high temperatures and high yields!
In addition, we have planted our “locomotives” – the super early variety Riviera, Alouet – the only variety completely resistant to late blight, Evolution – a traditional early red tuber variety, and a favorite of many buyers, the Arizona variety, which produces premium quality tubers in all climatic conditions.
Unfortunately, producers will have more problems, worries and headaches this season so that the expected harvest does not lose quality. Difficult weather conditions during harvesting last year provoked the development of diseases of the Fusarium-Phomosis group during the storage of their seed material. Reducing the choice of pesticides against the backdrop of a noticeable rise in their price can force potato growers to save money and / or use what is available and what is cheaper. Rising prices for certain types of fertilizers are also not encouraging. In the context of a shortage of certified seed potatoes, batches of non-certified seed material appeared on the market. The season is expected to be ambiguous and difficult to predict!
We do not lose optimism: as I said, the seed program has been expanded, our team is young and ambitious, we are not embarrassed by the upcoming difficulties and troubles - not for the first time!